


a dog day out

by onthighsbelongtotaemin



Series: group [5]
Category: SHINee
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 22:13:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8818138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onthighsbelongtotaemin/pseuds/onthighsbelongtotaemin
Summary: jonghyun & kibum take their dogs out to the park.  it might be a date.





	

jonghyun watches kibum as he chases after his dogs, the crunch of leaves under his feet and the chill in the air a persistent reminder that while it’s still technically autumn winter is approaching fast: it’s already december.  roo is standing beside him, her vest still on, keeping her from running off; she knows she’s at work.  he leans down and takes it off, slipping it into the satchel he has slung over his shoulder and, as she looks at him expectantly, unhooks the leash from her harness.  he pats her head and tells her to go. immediately she’s running after the two larger dogs, barking and panting. jonghyun loves these moments, the ones where he gets to watch roo run free.  she’s always such a happy dog, and she’s an excellent service animal, but sometimes he feels a little selfish for relying on her so much and enjoys the ability to give her some time off.  kibum comes back up the slight hill, his cheeks and the tip of his nose pink from the chill and the exertion.  

jonghyun is mesmerized. 

“sorry about that.  i didn’t expect them to take off so quickly!”  he holds up the leash he’d managed to detach from his dogs.  “i just don’t think they should be running around strapped to this, do you?”  he was doing that thing again, the mischievous smile that jonghyun couldn’t quite read yet be enjoyed trying.  

“that was probably the right call.  they look much happier.”  and they did. they were at a small dog park, the one jonghyun had told kibum about when they first met, just a small patch of grass with a few trees and a chain link fence.  it was in a secluded neighborhood and had a magnificent view of the mountain and river.  they’d meeting there on the weekends for a few months, getting to know each other better and letting their dogs play together.  they weren’t dates, though at least once kibum had brought coffee, but sometimes jonghyun liked to imagine they were.

he hadn’t told kibum much about his past and kibum had been sparse in the details about his.  the kept the conversations as light as possible, talking about what they’d been doing during the week, complaints about the cooling weather, and anecdotes about their respective dogs.  he learned that kibum had been in fashion school when he’d had his first break and that the intervening years had been a mix of hospitalizations, homelessness, and medication cocktails, finally finding the right balance within the last six months and that, with the support of his sister, kibum was finally able to work again.  jonghyun had been conservative with what he shared.  he told kibum how his job at the radio station was the perfect blend of quiet and stimulation, that it kept him in the music world and wasn’t affected by his insomnia.  he told him about how he used to be a songwriter for a local artist but he didn’t go into details about the songwriter, about how he had loved him, married him, and how he mourned the loss of him.  instead he talked about how he hadn’t been able to write for the last year but that he was slowly getting back into the habit, that the inspiration had finally begun to return.  he didn’t tell kibum that it was because of him.

it had hit him hard this crush that had begun to form.  there was no doubt that he had been immediately attracted to kibum when he’d first met him at group three months ago.  but it had quickly turned into an infatuation and jonghyun found himself hoping that their relationship would blossom into something more, something deeper.  because truth be told it was getting harder and harder not to ask kibum if he could kiss those pretty pink lips.  but he wasn’t sure how kibum felt, what he would think and he didn’t want to risk their growing friendship. sometimes he wondered what onew would think of kibum and he couldn’t help but laugh at the differences between the two.  where onew was laid back kibum was uptight.  where onew was diplomatic kibum was blunt. where onew lived in jeans and t-shirts, snapbacks and sneakers, kibum used clothing as an expression of himself.  kibum used fashion the way onew used his voice and in that way they were both artists.  there were little things about the way kibum behaved that reminded jonghyun of onew and it hit him in the heart every time he noticed them.  it was mostly in the way they each quietly took care of the people around them.  like the time kibum brought coffee when there was a cold snap, surprising jonghyun with the hot treat, and refusing reimbursement.  kibum could never replace onew for so many reasons but he was a good man in his own right and jonghyun was slowly falling in love.

they stand under a tree watching their dogs run across the field, roo making a grand effort to catch the two larger dogs who ignore her in favor of exploring the scents of unfamiliar canines that linger all through the park.  jonghyun has his hands in his pockets and he’s not sure what to say.  the silence between them is amicable but it’s also on the edge of awkward and he feels that at this point he should really have a topic at hand that he can bring out with ease.  but he doesn’t so he stands there quietly begging his mind to be creative and come up with something, anything that he can talk to kibum about.  he’s saved by the sound of kibum’s voice, making a statement or asking a question; he’s too startled from his own swirling thoughts that he can’t tell.

“what was that?” he asks, turning towards kibum.  

“i said i’m looking forward to christmas.  i know it’s still a little early but it’s something to look forward to for me.  you know, little steps.”  jonghyun nods. everyone needs a goal, a reason to keep on and sometimes it’s just making it to birthdays or holidays or…anniversaries.  he stares down at his feet.  sometimes it’s just making it to the next hour.

“it’ll be my first ‘real’ christmas,” kibum continues.  “the first since accepting the schizophrenia and actually giving a damn about it.”  he chuckles and looks away and jonghyun notices that he is twisting his foot into the ground.  it must be an involuntary action because even at this early junction in their relationship he’s certain kibum would never get his shoes this dirty on purpose.

“do you have any plans for christmas?”  the question is asked quietly and jonghyun feels that there is more being asked here than the obvious though he couldn’t explain why.

“i usually go to my sister’s house.  she and my mom like to make cookies but order take-out.  we’re festive but in an energy conserving way.”  kibum chuckles and looks down, notices what he’s done with his shoe and frowns, brushing the dust off the tops.  “they’re out of town though,” he says and watches as some emotion he doesn’t recognize flicker over kibum’s face.  “they decided to go to a spa together.  it’s fine, I don’t mind being alone for christmas.  still got roo.”  he smiles.  he’s serious, it’s not a big deal to him to be alone for this holiday.  it was never a big one between himself and onew and he sees his family frequently.

“i’ll be at my sister’s house. she’s sort of the family holiday hostess now that our parents are getting older.  it gives my mom a break and gives victoria a chance to be in control of things.”  there’s a pause and this time, though he can’t figure out why, jonghyun senses tension.  he’s not sure but he feels that there’s a question being posed silently that he should have an answer to.  but all he can muster is “that sounds nice” before they fall back into silence, standing side by side in an empty park while their dogs run around sniffing things and yipping happily.

“well. if…if you decide you’d like to not be alone…” kibum pauses before turning and finally looking jonghyun in the eye, “you could come over for christmas.”  he looks away again, blushing lightly and once again silence falls between them.  jonghyun decides to speak up before it last too long and turns the situation into something he’ll regret.  

“sure.  that sounds nice.”  there’s a smile on kibum’s face when he turns back, making eye contact again.  

“great.  i’ll let victoria know.  and i can pick you up, i know the buses are weird on holidays.”  jonghyun nods and smiles as his heart clenches, momentarily being reminded of onew.  he wants to say more but what slips out is “yeah they are.”  

suddenly kibum chuckles and says “i just realized i didn’t tell you.  it must seem weird, being asked to christmas dinner three weeks early, especially since we’re supposed to meet next week.  but it’s my cousin minjung’s birthday next week and we’re having a family party for her on saturday so i won’t be able to come.  there’s also some overtime coming up so i’ll have to miss group. and i know you said you’d be gone the weekend after so this is basically the last time i’ll see you before christmas.”

“oh.  well tell your cousin happy birthday and try not to overdo it with the overtime.  the money is good but the stress…”

“you sound like jinki,” kibum says grinning, pulling out his phone to check the time.  he furrows his brow.  “my alarm was going off.  i have to get going.”  he heads back down the hill and jonghyun watches him, admiring the sway of kibum’s hips as he walked.  it didn’t take long for him to get his dogs back on their leash and soon he was standing next to jonghyun again.

“i’ll text you when i’m on my way.  should be about one or so.”  jonghyun nods and smiles.  kibum starts to leave but as he’s shutting the gate to the park behind him he calls out, “jonghyun?”

“yes?”

“my sister likes to hang up mistletoe.  don’t be afraid to use it.”  he winks and then he’s gone.

jonghyun stands in the park a few minutes more, watching as roo trots over to him, bored with the park now that her playmates are gone.  he straps on her vest and attaches her leash, opening the gate and heading back to their apartment, a quick five block walk.  the whole way home he has a huge grin on his face and when they get inside, once he’s removed his shoes and taken roo out of her harness, he shouts “woo hoo!” as loud as he can and dances around the living room.  

he has every intention of taking kibum up on his offer.


End file.
